Is a 50mile 2 joule output fence controller too much?

[kile529]

The title says it all. I got it to do our 3-4 acres for sheep, pigs, etc. and then realized on the back it has rabbits, dogs, and chickens crossed off. Will it kill the chickens? It's a low impedance pulsing controller. Zareba EAC50M-Z

 

[azelgin]

Mine is a Parmak SE5. 1.5 joules low, 6.5 high. Chickens get zapped now and then. For the most part, feathers are real good insulators. They only get nailed when they get stuck between the hot wire and the run fencing, touching both at the same time. 7 years without a fatality.

 

[thomasboyle]

I have the same controller, and it has not harmed any of the chickens. When I first set up the net fence and turned it on, I stayed out with the chickens for 2 hours. Several chickens got zapped, but I had one that kept trying to run through the fence when she got zapped, causing her to get zapped again. I had to run over and chase her away from the fence that first time. She learned, and now the grass grows tall near the fence, and the chickens keep everything else trimmed down low!

 

[aart]

I have the same controller, and it has not harmed any of the chickens. When I first set up the net fence and turned it on, I stayed out with the chickens for 2 hours. Several chickens got zapped, but I had one that kept trying to run through the fence when she got zapped, causing her to get zapped again. I had to run over and chase her away from the fence that first time. She learned, and now the grass grows tall near the fence, and the chickens keep everything else trimmed down low!

Does this short out the fence...so you test it somehow to make sure it's adequately charged?

 

[azelgin]

Does this short out the fence...so you test it somehow to make sure it's adequately charged?

Some chargers have a needle type gauge/meter. If its not pegged in the green zone, check your fence. The ones with a voltage readout are the same way. Low voltage means you need to check for a ground. A broken wire, that does not ground out, will also give a high voltage reading. There are testers available, that you clip on the wire, to test for current.
Most chargers will burn through the occasional tall weed. Lots of weeds, will eventually overwhelm it. I can usually see when something is shorting out the fence, by looking at night. you'll see the blue electric arc, jumping from the wire to whatever is going to be a problem.

 

[aart]

Quote: So a high reading might make you think it is OK when in fact a broken wire could be shorting part of the fence?

I guess it would also matter what type of fence netting that is being charged?

 

[azelgin]

So a high reading might make you think it is OK when in fact a broken wire could be shorting part of the fence?

Not shorting to ground, it's just not connected and therefore the fence wire is dead.

 

[thomasboyle]

Does this short out the fence...so you test it somehow to make sure it's adequately charged?

Tall grass will eventually weaken the charge, and make the fence less effective. Once every 5-6 weeks I remove the fence, mow where it was and put it back up. The process takes 20 minutes or so. If you have a lot of fence, you can spray grass killer (round up or similar) and keep the grass down that way. They sell fence meters designed for electric fences. My fence comes in at 7000 volts or so. I've been shocked by it, and it gets your heart moving a little faster!

 

[kile529]

Ok good. Thanks for the info! I was starting to panic that I needed to trade it for a different one. Someone told me that I might need 3 joules for the sheep, but I'm too nervous to make that jump. lol